EDM vs the Beat Scene: A Fun, Illustrated Guide

Dance music is all the rage these days. That time you thought giant robots were battling at your
recent family reunion? Nope, that was just your 12-year-old niece listening to dubstep.
But not all electronic dance music was created equal. There's EDM, which, you aging out-of-touch
rockist, stands for electronic dance music. Nowadays often associated with giant clubs and festivals full
of pacifier-toting ravers who wear electrical tape on their boobs, it's not always the most contemplative or
adventurous music. That's more the domain of L.A.'s beat scene, which happens in smaller clubs before
folks who wouldn't want you to call them hipsters.
Confused? Peep our illustrated guide, below.-->

Jena
Ardell

Flying Lotus

EDM: With relentless builds and drops fused into a sonically aggressive foundation of beats and
beeps that play like a soundtrack to intergalactic warfare, some critics have labeled mainstream EDM a
cheap thrill. It is thrilling though. Especially in a live show context when one is fist-pumping along with
thousands of other fans and soaking in the vibrations of deep bass whomp that one can't help but feel in
their core. Acts like Swedish House Mafia and Avicii whip up the same frenzy with a more pop-oriented
sound based on huge hooks, singalong lyrics and samples from other artists in and beyond the genre.
Herd mentality, perhaps. Group ecstatic experience, quite often.

The Beat Scene: The beat scene cultivates experimental soundscapes more focused on expertly
and unusually arranged syncopated beats and samples that are often rooted in hip hop. The sound is
typically subtler and less in your face than that of EDM, (think art school vs frat house), although big
bass beats play a major role in the output of this art for artists salon-style community of producers.

Scene GodEDM: Skrillex

The Beat Scene: Flying Lotus

Love or hate him, (we kinda love him), Skrillex shifted the electro game by bringing dubstep to the
masses, and was nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy in the process. He leads the youth brigade of
ultra-loud DJ/producers including Zedd, Knife Party and Tommy Trash. Flying Lotus is a beat scene hero
on the power of lush, sophisticated compositions that engage brains without blowing ear drums.

The Beat Scene:Low End Theory
With residents including Daddy Kev, FlyLo, Gaslamp Killer, Nobody and D-Styles, Wednesday nights at
Low End are a weekly ritual that beat scene devotees speak of with religious conviction. Club nights
Control and Avaland at the Avalon feature EDM up-and-comers who often graduate to gigs at the
higher capacity Hollywood Palladium after they blow up.